Why are so many people nowadays defined by their career ?

While I agree that much of conversation is centered around profession, I think the addition of “nowadays” is misleading. It makes it seem as though this is a new phenomenon, which I do not believe it is. In fact, don’t many last names originate from occupations?

Interesting. I’ve never done that. People ask me about work and they get a one sentence answer and then I move on to something else.

I think this has been the case for many many many years, especially in America. Other countries don’t ask what you do for a living as part as getting to know you. There are many cultural differences regarding how much identity is wrapped up in how someone earns a living. Since most people work the majority of their waking hours it isn’t a surprise that it does have some importance in many people’s lives.

I find people interesting period. Yesterday a much older women told me she grew up picking strawberries as a young girl. She went to strawberry school, which meant her school district did their school year according to strawberry picking season, which is the winter months here in Florida.

Each person knows a ton about something, and learning about what they know is usually something I’d like to hear about.

As far as making long friendships, some things in common usually helps.

I think it’s always been that way. Are you an American because it’s generally been an American thing, that people are defined and sadly, judged by what they do, It’s usually the first thing people ask about when striking up a conversation with people at some kind of gathering. Perhaps you could hang out with people who have a broader range of interests for better conversation.

How do you define who you are? A lot of who we are is what we do.

Makes me wanna go all Bateman on them…“it’s hip to be square…do doo duh doodoo do”

It has always been that you. Kings, Queens, court jester, warrior, foot soldier, medicine woman, shaman, mill worker, compressor salesman. Basically, when we ask what someone “does,” we’re really asking “How do you contribute to our society?”

For many people, work IS all they do. They get up, commute, work long hours (perhaps with two jobs to make ends meet), commute home and collapse in exhaustion. The only time off they get is a couple of weeks in the summer and a couple of extra days at Thanksgiving and Christmas. They cannot help but be defined by their career because there just isn’t anything else in their life.

As a photographer, I picture myself a pretty snappy fellow. Underexposed to certain things. Overexposed to others. I shoot from the hip and try to keep a good focus on life.

But I really have no idea what you’re talking about. Could you develop this question further please? It’s all rather filmy right now.

WOrk & the pride you take in successful career is what gives a lot of people self esteem. No job=nobody values you.

“Sometimes I wonder what people who are not in the corporate environment think of us that are. Do you find us incredibly boring?”

That’s an understatement.

Corporate people are…snobbish.

@DUtchess Dude, I’m corporate! A lot of us just work there, we don’t love all the constrictions!

Well, I guess it depends on your position in a corporation, too. My sister is an upper level manager at Spirit (Boeing.) She moves in completely different circles than the factory workers.

A lot of peeps don’t have a choice. They need the paycheck and the bennies.

@DUtchess My peeps usually disagree with corporate. Like @adirond said, good pay, ins & 401k are not easy to find.

In Britain the conversation is half about work and the other half on house prices.
I like to talk about books

@Stinley I thought that the weather was the #1 topic in Britain.

@Pied_Pfeffer that’s the third half…

@Stinley LOL! Cute!